For a bit of fun, we fired up the latest edition of Football Manager and - through means not entirely in keeping with the spirit of FFP - ploughed £200 million into Sheffield Wednesday at the start of the 2019/20 season, then sat back to watch the drama unfold. Here's how the following decade went.
1. A suspiciously quiet summer
You join us in the summer of 2019, and the Owls have got their hands on some serious money. £200m, in fact. What do they do with it all? Bring in Reading midfielder Jordan Obita on loan, and that's it! (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Photo: Gareth Copley
2. A strong season under Monk
Despite not spending a penny, the Owls rally, and fire their way up to 7th place, just missing out on a play-off spot. The club plough some of that big investment into upgrading the training facilities. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images) Photo: Nigel Roddis
3. Splashing the cash
The fans want to know where that money has gone, and Wednesday respond by spending £34 million on Jonathan Leko from West Brom - as you do. . (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) Photo: Clive Mason
4. The spending continues
The Owls have cash to burn, and Monk has a lovely time recruiting new stars. Cheikhou Kouyate, Britt Assombalonga, Mo Besic and Conor Hourihane all arrive for hefty fees, taking the summer spend to £65m. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) Photo: PAUL ELLIS